What is a Good Person

We all want to be good, but it's not easy. If you ask an evil person and a good person the same question: "Are you a good person?," who do you think is more likely to say, "I'm good"? The good one or the evil one?

The evil one! He could kick his own mother in the stomach and still think he's good. You say, "That's terrible! How could you do such a thing?" He rationalizes and says, "You don't understand. She asked me to take out the garbage. If I do it, who knows what else she'll ask for next? This could go on forever!"

As for the good person, he takes out the garbage. But if you would then tell him, "I see you're a good person," he says, "No, I'm really not so good. Didn't you notice that while I was taking out the garbage I kicked my mother in the stomach?"

"What are you talking about? I was watching and you didn't kick your mother in the stomach!"

"Well, I didn't actually kick her. But I was grumbling as I carried out the garbage. I wanted my mother to feel bad. I was in the middle of a good book, and if I don't register my protest, who knows – she might ask me to do it again tomorrow!"

Do you see the difference? The evil person will always say he's right. He doesn't bother trying to be good, so he never feels a struggle. He just assumes he's good.

Whereas the person who really tries to be "good" knows how tough the job is. And he's always striving for a higher level.

There's a third type: The fully righteous person, the Tzaddik. He takes out the garbage and says, "It's my pleasure, Mom. You work so hard to take care of us. So thank you for the opportunity to express my appreciation!"

Two Hearts: "Wants" and "Desires"

The struggle to do good stems from the two conflicting inclinations in every human being. A person has two hearts: one that loves to do the right thing, and one that prefers to be selfish. You need to develop an awareness of the struggle going on inside you. For example:

• You want to use your time effectively, versus you feel like procrastinating.

• You want to eat healthily, versus you feel like chocolate cake.

• You want wisdom, versus you feel like watching TV.

One heart loves to do the right thing. The other prefers to be selfish.

"Want" is for permanence. It is rooted in reality. "Desire" is for the moment, with little regard for future consequence. It is an escape.

This conflict is between your body and your soul. Your eternal soul seeks permanence. It wants to do all the right things: to love humanity, seek justice, be altruistic, sensible, honorable and responsible. Your soul strives to fulfill its potential.

Meanwhile, your body, which is destined for the grave, seeks satisfaction for the moment. Drawn by comfort and effortlessness, it wants to eat, to sleep, to lust.

You know it's not right to refuse to take out the garbage, and your heart really wants to be good. But your other heart, the heart of desire, would rather stay inside where it's warm, reading a book in comfort.

Even as you're reading this, your soul is nudging you: "Pay attention – this will make me great!" But your body contradicts: "All this hard work and concentration is too painful. I was doing just fine the way I was before!"

With every decision, the two hearts clash and create a dilemma.

With every decision, the two hearts clash and create a dilemma. To be triumphant in the battle to be good, you have to focus on your innate desire to be good. Remind yourself each morning that you want to be good, and don't let that consciousness lay fallow. Make it part of your mindset, and you'll see an observable effect throughout your day. You'll make more mature and effective decisions.

Distinguish Between the Two Hearts

It can be very confusing to sort out that which we desire from that which we want.

Ask someone: "Which is more important to you – happiness or money?"

"I'd rather be happy. Just give me basic food, clothing and shelter – and then I'll gladly take a lot of happiness! After all, what kind of fool wants to be a miserable millionaire?"

"Okay, I'll make you a deal: After one month, if you've increased your happiness, I'll give you a bonus of $10,000."

Now watch that guy run to you!

Why? Which is more important to him – happiness or money?

Of course, happiness is more important. But that's just the intellectual understanding of the soul. On the other hand, the body is distracted by the sight of those green stacks of bills!

Bodily desire confuses our thinking. Materialism can look so attractive that we become deluded into thinking that's what we really want!

Unless you make the effort to distinguish between your wants and your desires, and to clarify which aspect is influencing your actions, then you're likely to lose valuable opportunities to accomplish your goals.

Get in touch with what the conflict is by asking two simple questions: What do I want to do, versus what do I feel like doing? What you want to do is usually the right thing, whereas what you feel like doing is often what is the most comfortable thing.

The alarm clock goes off in the morning. You want to get out of bed and start your day. But you probably feel like hitting the "snooze button," and sleeping late. It's a tug of war. Getting out of bed becomes a moral dilemma!

Whether you win and or lose depends upon which voice is the loudest at the moment of decision: the voice of want, or the voice of desire.

Once you're aware of the conflict and remember that you're struggling, you're able to listen more carefully to the voice of the good heart, and dismiss the voice of the selfish heart.

Define "Good"

A proper definition of "good" is the starting point of everything you do in life. Obviously you can't just invent your own defini­tion of what "good" is. You have to investigate reliable sources, and then analyze which one best describes the human condition and reality.

Be careful! If you don't work out the definition for yourself, you'll end up with someone else's idea of good! You don't want to be 20 years down the road and realize you bought a bad package.

Unless you work out the definition, you'll end up with someone else's idea of good!

In Gaza, the definition of "good" may be someone whose willing to strap a bomb to his belly and detonate it in a crowded Israeli market.

A common Western definition of "good" is financial success. People become pulverized by depression because they're not successful. "What's wrong with me, I can't get a job! I must be bad. Get me a therapist!"

This feeling carries into the way we consume. Our CD collection, our carpets, our fancy cars are one part convenience, two parts status. We want to show off that we fit society's idea of "good." (Politely, of course, so people shouldn't think we're barbarians!)

Always ask yourself: Am I defining "good" as that which looks good to the fast-food-Internet-Hollywood segment of society, or am I defining "good" as that which has real meaning, a deep message, and makes a valuable contribution to society?

If we don't keep up our guard, then we could end up like those rich-and-famous who are hooked on drugs and plagued by depression. Why is the typical image of a movie-star one who is embroiled in legal disputes, can't keep a marriage together, and spends countless hours in psychoanalysis?

In Judaism, the definition of good is found in the Torah. It spells out how a good person acts toward his friends, family, and society as a whole.

So keep your definitions straight. And be careful. Society's definition could end up being your death sentence.

Stand By Your Definition

Once you get your definition down, then you have to stick with it wherever you go, no matter what you do. Others will always try to change your definition of "good," especially when it makes them feel bad about them­selves. But you must stand by your own definition, even when others mock you for doing so.

Why does someone play Russian roulette? Because he's afraid of being jeered, of being called a coward. But who's the real coward? The one without the courage to stand up to those jeers! In the end, instead of living as a coward, he dies as a coward! The ultimate irony: perception defeats reality!

Don't let go of what you know.

Being Good Is More Important Than Life Itself

Imagine you're a successful surgeon. You're famous, you're rich, you have a beautiful spouse and marvelous kids. You're president of your synagogue, and you've just been nominated to receive an honorary doctorate from Harvard University. Life is grand!

Now you're traveling through the Far East with some friends. One night, while your friends are out at a movie, the Secret Police come to your hotel room and say, "Your friends have been identified as dangerous spies. Tell us where they are – or we'll kill you!"

Uh-oh. What do you do?

Of course, turning over your friends is a terrible thing to do. On the other hand, you don't want to die – and nobody will ever know you finked on your friends. (The Secret Police certainly won't advertise the episode!) You can still be a successful surgeon, still have your beautiful family, still be rich and famous – and still make it home in time for the Harvard graduation!

Nobody will ever know you finked on your friends.

What do you do?

Now let's up the ante. What if the Secret Police asked you to kill 1,000 children? "Kill 1,000 children and you can go back to the States to your beautiful life." Do you think you'd ever be able to do such a thing?

No. We simply don't have what it takes to be evil. (And even if you could bring yourself to kill the children... you'd probably go back home and shoot yourself.)

This scenario reveals something very deep in the makeup of every human being: Being good is so important that we'd even be willing to die for it.

Even though this scenario is a bit extreme, it elucidates a crucial principle: If you are willing to give up your life to be "good," then there can be no higher goal in living than being good!

Now go out and live for it! Harness that force within you!

Pursue wisdom to understand how to be good. Make goodness your goal in living.Be willing to give up everything. Others might call you a fool, but you always win when you do the right thing. You're not doing anyone any favors by being good, you're simply doing what the "inner you" wants.

Every Human Wants to be Great

Our desire to be good is really just the tip of the iceberg. Actually, all of us strive to go beyond "good" – and become "great."

Nobody wants to be average. Try saying, "I want to be a mediocre." You can't get the words out! Because we want to be great, not just good.

Would you want to be the person to discover the cure for cancer or eliminate the threat of nuclear war? Of course! We would all love to rid the world of it's problems and unite humanity in peace and harmony. That is the Jewish concept of the Messiah. He will put the world back together.

I once asked a class, "Tell me honestly. In the secret, innermost part of your heart, do you harbor the desire to be the Messiah himself?"

The entire class raised their hands.

Now here's a deep spiritual secret: The soul, the divine spark within each of us, craves to be united with the source of all life – the Almighty God. And for that reason, every human being, underneath it all, would not even feel satisfied being the Messiah. Our soul desires to be like God Himself.

So why don't we aim for it?

Not because we don't want to change the world. But because the effort seems too great.

The Torah, our Instructions for Living, provides a way to work toward this. One of the 613 mitzvot is to be like God, to emulate His ways.

We each have the potential to make a significant contribution to society. The Sages teach that everyone is supposed to say, "The whole world was made for me!" This does not mean that you can plunder the property of others. Rather, every individual is responsible for the world. Act ac­cordingly – you're here to straighten it out.

It's a lot hard work. But it's what we truly seek. And in the process, you're going to become not just good, but great!

What Can I Do About It?

Ask any young person today:

"What are the chances of a worldwide atomic war within the next 20 years?"

You'll get a range of answers. Some will say 90%, some 20%.

How horrifying!

So what are you going to do about it?

"Me? What can I do about it? The president is in charge! But I'm only one person. Who am I?"

In Judaism, we say that if you knew the Almighty Himself was helping you, what would you do about it?

Everything!

Well, here's good news: God is behind you. God says, "If you try, I'll help you. I want you to straighten out the world."

Judaism says it's an obligation to become great. That is our national mission of "Tikkun Olam," of repairing the world. If we shirk our responsibility, we'll have to answer for it one day.

In Judaism, there's no giving up. You want to be great, you can be great, and you have to be great. So get out there and slug. Harness your powerful desire for greatness. It's leading you whether you like it or not.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 60

(58)
Stephanie De Ayala-Larragoiti,
November 13, 2014 4:17 AM

About defining good and repairing the world

...repairing the world and restoring 'goodness' where more of it is needed is good but defining good is probably the 'good' starting point for understanding the scope and bounds in which to begin and commence doing so within ones own personal life. I really like this and I thank you very much.

(57)
katia antoun,
May 16, 2014 9:59 PM

how others can defention you but you are a different person

be who you are , try not to allow mother natures human beings change you every person is capable of good and bad how ever we often change due to our surroundings , if we ignore the ones who upset us , thieve us, bring us down , try to turn you into a second hand item not important and useful ,we all those ugly things which can truly change you , be strong in your faith turn away completely from those negative persons and remember how beautiful you are and the grand gifts god has giving you , I do not believe in changing people so I ignore and turn away from those who can bring out the worst in me , be honourable no matter what mistakes you have done remember you want to please god and he is with in you , improve on your qualities and everything will seem to run smooth around you , give to the needed and this is the only happiness you need as a human in my belief ,every thing other than a proper shelter and descent living work life is all materialist it is not important to have them you only want them but they are not a necessity in life for your happiness . keep your good soul and don't allow others to definition your presents .

(56)
TaCoya Harris,
January 2, 2014 3:27 AM

Does everyone begin life as a good human being when they are born? Are evil ways acquired through society? Is it selfish to say that we only do what we know of?

(55)
Silvan,
August 6, 2013 2:42 PM

There is NO rational defition of good and bad

I believe that there is no such thing as a definition of what good really. I also believe that there is something wrong with "trying" to be good because that means that you are bad and must "become" good. The key is to find what is good inside of you and listen to that because you ARE good BY NATURE.

What is it I am talking about? Your heart which KNOWS what is right and what is not. Everybody has a heart which means that everybody IS good - then what makes people do bad things? Things inside of their MIND that seduce them into doing that.

(54)
debdatta ghosh,
June 8, 2013 9:21 AM

most wonderful and enlightening with utter simplycity

good and bad have existed in human mind from time immemorial.it is a matter of balance and individual choice to be good or bad. if we sincerely want to be good, persist with it and prepared to take the responsibilities we can tilt our balance to be a good human being.

(53)
Anonymous,
September 21, 2012 5:47 AM

amazing

Jessika Rioux is the perfect exemple to a good person. She is empathetic, trusting, trustworthy, loyal, honest, moral, forgiving, humble, kind, compationate, positive, respectful, generous, peacemaker and confident. I love you bb

(52)
David Gr,
June 26, 2012 7:30 PM

Read It Before

I thought I read this before. It seems I had. It is well worth reading again. Good advice for us all.

Tsigab G,
November 15, 2012 4:46 PM

awesome ,i love it

why peoples become evil because the seems difficult to be Good
person . .

TaCoya,
January 5, 2014 5:18 PM

You can teach yourself to not get distracted by the influences of society and that way you can focus on what your trying to be which is a good person.I'm having trouble with that but I am only 13 so I have a lot to learn.

(51)
RABBI AL,
June 25, 2012 2:10 PM

I see good people......

I see good people everyday, most of it in the Shul that I daven at.
But I have seen good people in the INSIDE of a body, and OUTSIDE is totally different.
Maybe we should give a class called Chessed, or Bikur Cholim, or Chessed Shel Emes!!

(50)
Anonymous,
June 21, 2012 8:32 AM

I am an athlete, I do believe that if we try our best to be great and we are with Gxx, He will be with us. We only need to be strong and courageous and He will do it.

As someone already said - "It is a brilliant Article" - it is; Thank you for sending it out to us.

(47)
Idalina Trank,
June 19, 2012 5:51 PM

It's good to be important, bu it's more important to be Goog.

I really digest that article.

(46)
ruth housman,
June 19, 2012 3:44 PM

The BIG Job

I believe we're here to learn lessons in love, and the it's the most rewarding thing of all, to pick up someone when they are down, to do all the little things that come at us constantly in life, that involve caring, and it can be as important to water a thirsty plant, as to water a nation. Small IS big, and what we don't always see, is that those who live lives that are mostly anonymous are actually GREAT. I saw this among the people of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, that children cared for their parents, that they "knew" about illness, because a fatal gene, the gene for Huntington's felled so many of them, and somehow, they learned, that caring is very important, and this is where meaning is found. I saw this among people who had no worldly goods to speak of, and who had to scrounge among the refuse, to find an old TV to make it work, a lightbulb, to hook in, even illegally in their tin shacks, to the main power grid of a country that did not always empower them. We all learn from experience, and what is most humbling is seeing that those with very little have so much. A child makes a kite from torn scraps of clothing, having no toys. What soars among all that's so sore in life is just this: the amazing capacity of the humane heart.
So YES to this article. It's not about living so much as it is about the ART of living. And those who do these things, are all saviors for each other, and all of them, the Messiah. It's everyone together. And I wouldn't want to be G_d. A job that is way beyond my ken as I see every single blade of grass, every single story, is powered with a learning curve that is about just this: Tikkun Olam.
Thank G_d I do not have such powers. What is humbling is to see we're all stars, and to stand outside on a clear night, look up, and feel those stars are not so remote, but twinkling, just for us, just for this, most, sacred moment.

(45)
Abraham L. Seiman,
June 19, 2012 3:13 PM

The ideas expressed here are very important in changing peoples' views regarding the important things in life from the merely observable.

All human beings are born with a " tabula regula " and have the innate ability to choose the most valuable paths. The Torah is, not necessarily, the way to uncover this path.

(44)
Kierra,
June 12, 2012 9:16 PM

This is confirmation!!!!!!

I am 22 years old and I am just now really figuring out what I want and dont want. What kind of person I want to be and how I want to live my life. Today i was thinking and said everything that this article said. It is kind of weird but this help me to fix what i needed to fix for myself and to help the people around me understand their self.
Thank you

(43)
Afusat,
June 10, 2012 8:45 AM

This is a brilliant article, it really inspires and redefine my sense of goodness and purpose of being good to others. Thank you.

(42)
Rev., Dr. John J. Gray,
May 8, 2012 3:42 AM

A teachable read!

Everyone who reads this should learn something! I did.

(41)
jim,
May 5, 2012 6:05 PM

Thanks

As a person trying to be a good person by truly attempting to be a better human you have given me tools to better judge my actions on wether they are self absorbed or are truly loving and helping my fellow man..

(40)
Monty Brown,
April 17, 2012 5:48 AM

The promise of our core value

While i read this i asked myself why waste my reading and not apply it to your lifestyle. The choices are within all of us but... through the years our experiences alter our attempts and resolve, making us more human and understanding of the faults that we each posess that make us individuals. for some of us we resonate our value by reaching out to the ones that we also call our enemy or are angry with because we want a higher understanding of why. Well written I enjoyed it !! :-)

(39)
arvind nath pathak,
April 14, 2012 12:52 PM

WHY THERE ARE TWO WORDS ,EXACTLY OPPOSITE IN MEANING ,GOOD AND BAD .

Because ultimately Good Actions bring good ,lasting rewards with great self-Esteem ,for the face in the mirror .

(38)
Anonymous,
February 22, 2012 8:00 PM

I am truly inspired by this article and I am positive it will make a big difference to my life, thank you for enlightening me on a shadow of what I could be.

(37)
9sarahlm,
February 8, 2012 2:22 AM

This was inspiring :)

(36)
RESHU GUPTA,
October 24, 2011 10:11 AM

BEING GOOD

ALWAYS TRY TO BE GOOD TO OTHERS.
GIVE YOUR 100% THEN YOU GOT THE RESULT AROUND 80%.
:)

(35)
Anonymous,
April 13, 2011 6:10 AM

I'm not Jewish, but this is a very nice article. I believe it to be true.

(34)
Anonymous,
April 7, 2011 9:55 PM

Get rid of your TV

material good will prevail unless you get rid of your television, because it is nowadays what TV is all about: Making you loose sight of your spiritual good, making you a "have" person rather than a "be" person.
Also on interesting article about that and how it keeps you from being a fully backed human being

(33)
dee,
February 25, 2011 3:28 PM

Being Good

What a beautiful article.I am not Jewish and have a new appreciation for your religion.

(32)
Anonymous,
December 19, 2009 3:26 PM

complicated..but not impossible?

Its so complicated to be good. I strive to be good, to be good for me does mean to not harm anybody or at least make the less harm possible, to not harm myself, to have positive creative toughts and not being destructive, to not be critical to anyone, not in my thougts and not in my words. To take care of myself. To learn more about myself every day and most of all forgive everybody every single day. Even some may hurt me my aim is to FORGIVE. I want to be able to be greatful every single day, even the circunstances in my life is not the best or even if they are the best. I want to be able to see the beauty of the creation every day. i want to be able to give life to 2 children and give them a happy start in life. I want to do yoga because its make me harmonious and the world around me to. I want to give up fear and judging. I want to have control over my toughts, clear mind, clean body. To be good is for me to be happy and to give happiness. I want to have an open heart so the LOVE energy can flow from there to all the world and I want to learn to give and receive (in energy) to heal me and the world. I want to be simple and clean. I want to have control over my feelings, they should obey me for the highest good. No one asked me to do this or following this path, no one ever guaranteed me that I will reach that point where I can say to myself in body, mind and soul I am a good person. Its only myself that push myself into that direccion. I have experienced Divine energy and thats enough for me. I have no teacher, even I wished in the past for one, but well II got help on the way. And I got some tools that I can work with. Today I reached to a new step and there my question was: what is a good person? and I searched the internet for some kind of answer and I found this page that gave something great. thank you :)

(31)
Anonymous,
April 6, 2009 4:30 PM

Nicole make the leap and connect!

Check out more of Aish, Chabad.org, and definitely find an Orthodox rabbi who you actually feel connected to. Follow Chaya's advice and go for it. It's worth it, I wasn't born into a religious family either, but it is a much better life... much more fulfilling and meaningful.

(30)
Gjejlane-Republic of Kosova,
December 12, 2008 7:53 AM

It's very nice feeling to read this ARTICLE

I really believe in GOD...I'm muslim and I'll be all of my life...but What?..It's nice to be Important but more Important is to be Nice...But how?..RESPECT YOURSELF FIRST,THEN SOMEBODY ELSE.....That's all!

(29)
chaya,
June 24, 2008 10:55 AM

Dear Nicole,

Don't lose the inspiration! You have to take action right away, or you'll lose it and keep doing whatever you've been doing without changing a bit. It is hard when you don't know anything about Judaism. Try to find someone religious to befriend, and visit them for a Shabbos. Also, you can try to get a learning partner through AISH or PartnersInTorah. There's no need to do everything all at once. Just do something small and see where it takes you. Good Luck!

(28)
Tony,
May 24, 2008 6:49 AM

Excellent and insightful article

It is good to be all that you can be, Remember though you are no better than those with less, or you have truly achieved nothing.

(27)
Nicole,
May 16, 2008 11:41 PM

Wow. It''s very inspirational but Judaism is extremely hard. I''m jewish but I''m not raised in a religious family at all. So I''m sort of clueless how to start? But this article is very interesting.

might be the words wht u descrive is u been deeper n much deeper abut life i 2 be some time but this bussy life confuse me some time but still i reflect some time hop i will thanks

(25)
Rozza,
March 16, 2008 12:02 AM

It was clear and concise and made some very good points. I beleive the inner conflict between soul and bodily desire controls our life. I'm not sure that the human quest "to be good" drives virtually everything we do. An extreme example such as Hitler- i don't beleive he cared to be 'good' (like u said whatever that means). In a sad sense i beleive our desire to attain a great afterlife is wat makes us do good, not the desire to be good that allows us to attain this great afterlife.

(24)
paroketh,
November 12, 2007 11:24 AM

reads

the visceral being sometimes needs direction. i cannot guarantee the compass. at this point in time/space your information helps me know. thanks.

(23)
Chavah,
October 30, 2007 10:13 PM

Wow

This is truly one of the best articles I've read in my life. Thank you~

(22)
Anonymous,
May 16, 2007 6:01 PM

This is extremely inspiring to me and I feel that I must take these wise words of yours into consideration, to become a better person and save my own life. I thank you for sharing this information with everyone including me. Your words have taught me much about life's lessons.

(21)
rachel ettelman,
April 29, 2007 12:12 PM

I am my soul----a spark of G-d!

Smile to everyone!Spread joy--enjoy your life! This is the way to please Almighty G-d!

(20)
Laura Small,
April 22, 2007 6:23 PM

Thank you...

Although I'm not Jewish, I thought your comments were more helpful than alot of other spiritual and inspirational things I've heard. You are a gifted and righteous person. Thank you, Rabbi...

(19)
howard haskins,
March 3, 2007 7:53 PM

a few paragraphs gives you a lot to think about.

ran across your website by accident. most inspired reading, thank you

(18)
Durdica,
January 15, 2007 3:49 PM

very helpful text

Dear Rabbi,although I am not Jewish but very interesting in Judaism I found Your article very inspiring touching and helpful.I enjoy reading things like this and the help I get it from such valuable articles helps me a lot in my work with children and adults.Hope to read and find some more helpful texts.Thank You and may God bless You.Shalom from Zagreb Croatia.

(17)
Anonymous,
December 8, 2006 10:59 AM

inspiriational

Great article! Just the spiritual booster I needed to get out of my procrastination rut. Thanks!

(16)
indukala,
October 18, 2006 12:39 PM

Thanks for inspiring me!

Hi,I,m really thankful to all behind this site for providing such good information about our complex inner self. I,m sure by this site, many people would become good indeed.But this site needs more publicity.I,ll do whatever i can for the same.. and i hope all the people who read this would do the same...thank u so muchindukala

(15)
simon s shepherd,
May 28, 2006 12:00 AM

want versus desire

One of the easiest to understand definitions of good versus evil I have read. Instant gratification is what I often seek and struggle with. Now I understand the difference better. To give in to desire is a form of laziness, spiritual laziness, which when broken down to its core is simply evil. Thank you1

(14)
loryn halperin,
March 26, 2006 12:00 AM

one gets out of life what one puts in

don't need to be told i did good or i am a good person. good is from the heart and soul. it should be a reaction that automatically comes without thought or influence, but unfortunately we are influenced and our good can be turned into evil and negativity.this was an excellent article.

(13)
Michael Cummings,
March 19, 2006 12:00 AM

Great definition of what is "Good" and the struggle to be your best

This was very helpful in identifying the distinction between wants and desires. It was also inspiring knowing that our natural propensity is to be our Best. Now we can stay focused on what is "Right" for us and stay on the path to being our best.

(12)
Raisy,
February 20, 2006 12:00 AM

What does the good person say?

Far be it for me to argue with Rabbi N. Weinberg--I don't come up to his intellectual ankles...but I wonder: Does the good person really try to get out of helping his mom and justify it by saying she might ask more of him if he acquiesced? I get the part of him doing the job reluctantly, maybe even grumbling or with back-talk, but that kind of manipulative thinking, my mother will ask me to do this again, I don't think is in the repertoire of a good person. After all, every person knows (even non-Jews) that parents are to be respected and obeyed.

(11)
Heather,
January 24, 2006 12:00 AM

Excellent article

I came across this website today after searching "inspiration" and some other words on Google. Lately, I'm feeling lethargic and lazy, which, in turn, makes me feel guilty for not living up to my potential. I found this article, "What is a Good Person," to be very helpful, expecially the analogy between what we "want" and what we "feel".

I want to get up early and go to the gym in the morning. Do I? My feelings of laziness and procrastination overpower my want to be good and win the battle. This article was inspirational and maybe tomorrow I'll overcome my feelings to reach what I want.

(10)
Anonymous,
August 19, 2005 12:00 AM

you hav answered my life question with this writing and i feel that i finnaly understand myself now.Thank you!!!!

(9)
Anonymous,
December 20, 2003 12:00 AM

Money is Happiness

Good Article. But i think Money CAN buy happiness.

Money is Happiness in my point of view. Without money you cannot be happy. Maybe you can be happy with a little bit of food and stuff, but with money you can be even more happy. You can eat nice food, wear nice clothes and you can fulfill almost every need with Money.

Money

(8)
Anonymous,
February 7, 2003 12:00 AM

truthful, logically

Made me think, but didn't really have a big enough impact to amaze me! Then again, what would? Taught me to do what I "want" and not what I "feel" like in certain situations.

(7)
Bob,
January 20, 2003 12:00 AM

Good

Hi Dude,

Just wanted to say that I read your article and I am learning to appreciate the lessons you can teach us.

My friend and I have been considering the 'what is good' subject and self actualisation and purpose for a while now and your articl was a great help. Thanks, Rabbi.

(6)
Aditi,
January 5, 2003 12:00 AM

Amazing Article

Dear Rabbi,
I'd like to take the time and say that your article called "What is a Good Person," is amazing. Yes, I am only 14, but the article really opens your eyes. It makes ME want to become a good person, and that is what I am going to try and do!
Thank you,
Aditi

(5)
Manuel,
November 18, 2002 12:00 AM

On being goog

Maybe a good way to change the world is to ask ourselves everyday what we are going to do for others,..and do something !!!! before the eyes of G'd some unimportant deed may look very important, these are the mizvot

(4)
david,
August 22, 2002 12:00 AM

just what i was looking for

i am only 14 years old and i am a catholic. this article is exactly what i was looking for and it really does make alot of sense. even though im not jewish i found this article inspiring and touching. id like to read more things like this.

(3)
,
February 21, 2002 12:00 AM

inspiring

To Rabbi Weinberg
I am a orthodox jew and i never had thoughts like this before. I went to yeshiva, the whole system and this article evoked thoughts for me to really start changing. Thank you.

(2)
Amanda Davies,
August 20, 2001 12:00 AM

All I have to say is wow!!!
I just attended Jewel through Aish and boy did this ever sum it up. It makes so much sense it's frightening!!!!

(1)
Kathy Love,
August 1, 2001 12:00 AM

Thanks....

In my Bible Study,Methodist, our pastor told us that we should study Judism because God chose Jews as His people and that to understand our religion, we also need to understand and learn the great lessons that Judism teaches. He gave us the address to this site saying it was the best on the internet.

I've spent close to 30 minutes reading from this site and must say that you have a lot to teach me. I have a book, Jewish Wisdom, that I've never finished reading, and admit I'm anxious to return to that book after seeing this site. Thanks to everyone that has put this beautiful site togther.

I always loved the story of Jonah and the whale. Why do we read it during the afternoon service of Yom Kippur?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Let's recap the story: God tells Jonah to go to Ninveh and to prophesy that in 40 days, God will destroy the city. Instead, Jonah goes to Jaffa, boards a ship, and sails for Tarshish. A great storm arises. Frightened, Jonah goes to sleep in the ship's hold. The sailors somehow recognize that Jonah is responsible for the storm. They throw him overboard, and the sea becomes calm.

A great fish swallows Jonah. Then three days later, God commands the fish to spit Jonah back out upon dry land. God tells Jonah, "Let's try it again. Go to Ninveh and tell them in 40 days I will destroy the city."

The story is a metaphor for our struggle for clarity. Jonah is the soul. The soul is assigned to sanctify the world, and draw it close to God. But we are seduced by the world's beauty. (Jaffa in Hebrew means "beauty.") The ship is the body, the sea is the world, and the storm is life's pains and troubles. God hopes confrontation with mortality will inspire us to examine our lives. But Jonah's is the more common response - we go to sleep (have a beer, turn on the television). The sailors throw Jonah overboard - this is death. The fish that swallows Jonah is the grave. Jonah is spat back upon the land - reincarnation. And the Almighty tells us to try again. "Go sanctify the world and bring it close to God."

Each of us is born with an opportunity and a challenge. We each have unique gifts to offer the world and unique challenges to perfect ourselves. If we leave the task unfinished the first time, we get a second chance. Jonah teaches us that repentance can reverse a harsh decree. If the residents of Ninveh had the ability to correct their mistakes and do teshuva, how much more so do we have the ability to correct our former mistakes and do teshuva.

(source: "The Bible for the Clueless But Curious," by Rabbi Nachum Braverman)

In 1948, Egypt launched a large-scale offensive against the Negev region of Israel. This was part of the War of Independence, an attack by five Arab armies designed to "drive the Jews into the sea." Though the Jews were under-armed, untrained, and few in number, through ingenuity and perseverance they staved off the attacks and secured the borders. Yet the price was high -- Israel lost 6,373 of its people, a full one percent of the Jewish population of Israel at the time.

And what does teshuvah consist of? [Repentance to the degree] that the One Who knows all that is hidden will testify that he will never again repeat this sin(Maimonides, Laws of Teshuvah 2:2).

"How can this be?" ask the commentaries. "Inasmuch as man always has free choice to do good or evil, to sin or not to sin, how can God testify that a person will never repeat a particular sin? Is this not a repudiation of one's free will?"

The answer to this came to me at a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, at which the speaker, a man who had been sober for twenty-one years, said, "The man I was drank. The man I was will drink again. But now I am a different man."

A sin does not occur in a vacuum. A person who is devout does not abruptly decide to eat treifah. A sin occurs when a person is in such a state that a particular act is not anathema to him.

Consequently, repentance is not complete if one merely regrets having done wrong. One must ask, "How did this sin ever come about? In what kind of a state was I that permitted me to commit this sin?"

True repentance thus consists of changing one's character to the point where, as the person is now, one can no longer even consider doing the forbidden act. Of course, the person's character may deteriorate - and if it does, he may sin again.

God does not testify that the person will never repeat the sin, but rather that his degree of repentance and correction of his character defects are such that, as long as he maintains his new status, he will not commit that sin.

Today I shall...

try to understand how I came to do those things that I regret having done, and bring myself to a state where such acts will be alien to me.

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